Last Dance
by Tarlia
Summary: Short and sweet, Raine and Laguna. Just a little idea I had.


Last Dance

** **

By Tarlia

Based on an instrumental piece by Sarah Mclachlan called 'Last Dance'.All characters from Final Fantasy VIII are © Square.

The old wooden stairs creaked as heavy boots were planted on them, even if each step was made as lightly as possible, and Laguna grimaced.He paused, momentarily, looking over his shoulder and listening.Had she heard?No, there was no sound from the bedroom.She was still sleeping, thank God.

As he finally had successfully arrived on the first floor, his wife stepped out from behind the bar of the little Winhill cafeteria.It was _their_ home now, no longer just hers, and Kiros had taken over the old house where Laguna used to stay.Raine tilted her head lightly in that curious fashion of hers, blue eyes sparkling even in the dull light of the single lamp hanging from the ceiling."Is she asleep?"

Laguna raised a hand to rub the back of his head with his palm, and to push away a bang of black hair that had fallen into his vision, before nodding in reply, "Yeah, after three bedtime stories and four songs, she eventually fell asleep.Man, if she had stayed awake any longer, _I_ would have passed out before her."

The young woman giggled, and was only more amused when she saw the frown on her husband's face that clearly said 'it's not funny!'.Of course, Raine didn't mean anything by it.She was grateful for his help in taking care of little Ellone, even if she felt he was spoiling the girl from time to time."Elle can be quite stubborn."

"Tell me about it," the former soldier huffed, dropping down onto a chair."I'm exhausted.There was really a lot of monsters around today too, dunno where they're all coming from."His green eyes flashed up to meet hers, and with another sigh he asked, "Wanna go to bed?"

There was nothing romantic about the question at all.So much for her hopes of spending some time alone with him tonight.Raine watched him for a second, then put her hands on her hips and shook her head, "Laguna, you're hopeless."

When she turned and walked back to the bar without another word, Laguna perked up, "What?What did I do _now_?"

"Nothing…," Raine avoided looking at him, busying herself with wiping off the bar and putting away a few stray glasses that she hadn't had the time to clean earlier in the evening.As Laguna made his approach, she decided to turn on the radio that stood next to the sink before he could say anything, but kept the volume down in order to not disturb Ellone.

Laguna didn't know what he had done wrong this time, and found himself just staring at his lover helplessly.Raine could be the sweetest, gentlest thing when she was happy, but she was a well-tempered woman and when she was in a bad mood, she would either lash out angrily, or she would be a silent riddle, refusing to tell him why she was upset.Though this time, her anger didn't stay for long.Laguna eyed her in curiosity as she paused in her actions, listening to the music that flowed out of the tiny speakers of the radio, and her body stiffened.It was a slow piano tune, calming and soft.

"Listen," Raine whispered, whirling around to face Laguna who now had moved to her side of the bar and was standing right behind her.She took his hands in hers, and another puzzled expression crossed Laguna's face."It's one of my favourites.Oh, it's been forever since I heard this one."

"Uh," Laguna said, and that was all he got the chance to say before his wife abruptly pulled him with her out on the floor, kicking away a table and a couple of chairs on her way.She even reached over with a hand to turn off the switch to the lamp, leaving the room dark except for the white moonlight that entered through the windows.Once they were there, she looked up at him again, a beautiful smile resting on her rosy lips, "Dance with me, Laguna.Like you did in our wedding."

"Oh, no," the protest came immediately, "No, no, no.I made a complete fool out of myself then.You promised I wouldn't have to again."

"I already know you're a complete fool, Laguna, so it doesn't matter.There's no one else here, even.Just you and I."

Laguna shook his head quickly, "But I _can't dance._"

"Not even for me?" Raine's eyes were pleading.She knew he couldn't resist that look, that innocent beauty in her wonderful eyes.Her skin was milky white in the faint shine of the moon, and her silky, dark brown hair fell down her back perfectly.What he would once have seen as a simple country girl compared to Julia Heartilly in her fancy red dress, was now the most beautiful creature he could imagine.How could he say 'no' to someone like her?

Her smile reappeared as he made no further complaints, and Raine slipped her arms around his neck, but then frowned as he just stood there dumbly.Didn't he know anything?Again, her hands moved to take a hold of his and firmly plant them around her waist, before moving her own arms back into position.Slowly, she began moving in rhythm to the music, and Laguna awkwardly tried to follow.

Dancing just was not his area.More than once he accidentally stepped on her toes, and after the fourth time Raine was close to giving up on him, but decided to try another time before the song was over.She slowed down a little, quietly explaining to him how to do each move, and eventually Laguna began to get a hang of it.It was easier than the waltz they had unsuccessfully tried to dance in their wedding; all he had to do was move his feet in pattern with hers as they circled each other again and again, and Raine drew closer to him all the time, until she finally rested her head against his chest, feeling his heartbeat and almost able to hear it through the low music.Laguna bent his head to place a light kiss on top of her head, hugging her as the song neared its end and the two of them stopped moving.

Then she looked up at him, and smiled.Laguna smiled in return.She had once told herself she could never fall in love with someone like him.She, like all other girls, had hoped for the knight in shining armour to come and take her away on his silver horse, and she had never expected that her knight would be _carried_ into her little home town, battered and sobbing.But over those months turned into a year that he had stayed there with them in Winhill - stayed there with her - she had developed a strong liking for Laguna's shy, clumsy personality, his somewhat inexperienced determination in battle, his handsome face and expressive green eyes, but first and foremost, she was in love with his gentle kindness.The way he made her smile with his silly jokes, the way he could make Ellone giggle with glee as he played with her, his loyalty to his friend Kiros.She needed no knight, for Laguna was _hers_, and only hers.There was a time when she had feared he would leave her for his dream of becoming a famous writer, but those doubts had died the night he asked her to marry him.He was there to stay with her forever, to raise a family with her, to love her and Ellone.Proven by their matching wedding rings, they were bound together.

He kissed her.

And then Kiros came bursting in the door.

Raine nearly screamed in surprise and Laguna let go of her, turning to face his friend with an angry glare, "Kiros!What the hell do you think you're do-"

But Kiros, still struggling to catch his breath, cut him off mid-sentence, "Sorry for interrupting, man, but it's an emergency.Esthar soldiers.At the border of the town.They're coming here."

"What??" Laguna snapped, "How many?"

"_Many_."

Narrowing his eyes in worry, Laguna hesitated for a second before going over to the corner and grabbing his machinegun, then he turned back to Raine, "Stay here," he told her before running outside along with Kiros.

Raine was greatly concerned as well, for she feared they had come for Ellone.Before walking up the stairs to check on her, however, she paused to look after Laguna.And she sighed longingly at the lost moment.

Their last moment. 


End file.
